Today, I am talking with Jorge Unigarro who is a personal training manager for Equinox in New York City. He manages 40+ personal trainers and 400-600 personal clients. It is interesting to see how he keeps things going and makes both sides happy. Jorge is a competitive power lifter, a lover of cats, and probably the worst joke teller I have ever heard.

Jorge became interested in personal training while stationed in Iraq in 2004. They fashioned a makeshift gym out of an empty space. Jorge helped out and worked there and his training buddy was technically his first training client. 2 years later he started as a trainer at Equinox and has been training ever since.

Today’s topics include:

* What Jorge learned from the military that translated into fitness training

* How a wrong turn in Fallujah and getting lost with things blowing up around you is scary

* Before Equinox Jorge tried working at Crunch, explored college, and drank a bit too much

* Jorge’s responsibilities as a training manager at Equinox

* What the programming for successful trainers is like

* Traits that make a great personal trainer

* Most important part of intake assessment is movement analysis

* Digging in with the 5 whys can create connection

* How to manage people and treat them the way they want to be treated

* Going to conferences is a great way for trainers to expand their skills and continue education

Links and resources:

* [email protected]

* Intervention by Dan John

* Motivational Interviewing in Nutrition and Fitness

* Switch

* Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

* Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box

* The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict

* The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves

* The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living

* The War of Art

* Turning Pro

* Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers

* Who Moved My Cheese

Quotes:

[bctt tweet=”“I learned consistency in the military and it applies to training” Jorge Unigarro” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”“It’s part education, conversation, and leadership to make sure the trainers are making the clients happy” Jorge Unigarro” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”“Having a great trainer with no people skills, is like having the world’s most awesome book that nobody reads” Jorge Unigarro ” username=””]

Talk soon, Neal.